How I Tie Dyed Flat Diapers

On the 2012 Flats and Hand Washing Challenge forum, I've had a few questions about how I tie dyed MissE's flat diapers. In this post, I'll be sharing the tutorials and materials I used to create the different tie dye effects.

I used some condiment squirt bottles, Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye, disposable gloves, a funnel, rubber bands, a baking rack over the sink to dye, washing soda, salt, scissors, and a dozen GMD large unbleached flat diapers.

The basic instructions are: I twisted into the effect I wanted, secured with rubber bands, squirted the dye where I wanted it while the diaper laid on the baking rack over the sink, put in a plastic bag or wrapped in plastic wrap, set on the table for 24 hours, cut rubber bands, rinsed with warm water until the water ran clear, washed on hot with detergent, dried on hot. I had mixed the dye with warm water and I had pre-soaked the flats in warm water with washing soda (about 1/2 cup for the sink full) and salt (a couple of Tablespoons).

To get the black streaks in this one, I used this tutorial.

To create the pictures in these two, I used this tutorial. I wasn't sure if the Rebel Alliance symbol would turn out but I was pleased with the results. I accidentally switched the colors with the one that was supposed to be a heart though. I had specifically chosen the colors of that one because they were Star Wars colors (red for the Rebel Alliance with purple, green, and blue because they're light saber colors). I was very distraught over the mix-up at first (just ask Mister), but I'm happy with it now, it makes the Rebel Alliance one look more girly. I'm very excited to know how to tie dye a Mickey Mouse silhouette as I'm a Disney World freak and will definitely be tie dying some Mickey stuff for our next trip to Disney World! Mister is a massive Star Wars fans (as in, has a couple of Star Wars tattoos) so the Rebel Alliance symbol was for him. If I had to do it over again, I'd definitely use the colors I had intended for the Rebel Alliance symbol and I'd use the same colors for the Mickey one but switch them around. I think I'd do the Mickey silhouette black and swirl the other colors.

This one was supposed to be a heart shape but didn't really turn out. I was a little rushed as we were late for a prior engagement while I was trying to finish up my tie dying and I had done this one last. I think it would've been a bit better if I had taken my time. I do like how it turned out though, I think it kind of looks like an alien. I used this tutorial for this one, but you could definitely use the running stitch tutorial from the previous two flats to make this shape.

For the rest of the flats, I used this tutorial.

 

 

 

 

I'd love to see pictures of your tie dye creations! Please post the link in the comments below! You can bet that these won't be my last tie dye projects, I already have so many ideas for what to do next!

Flats & Handwash Challenge: Day 4 - Thoughts on Hand Washing and How I'm Doing

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all.  You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!  


{Warning: Pic Heavy Post} 


I tie dyed a dozen of MissE's flats! Check them out! Click here to see how I did it.

                                       

Can you spot the shapes? There's a Mickey Mouse head, a Rebel Alliance symbol (from Star Wars), and what was meant to be a Heart but didn't really turn out. I did the shapes towards the top of the flat instead of in the middle on purpose because most of the folds that I use do not showcase the middle, the back of the diaper would end up being more towards the top.

 

 

    

 

     

Back to the topic at hand. Today is Day 4 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge! We're halfway through! So far, the hand washing is going great! I could definitely do this on the occasional circumstance such as travel or natural disaster, but honestly, it's a lot of work for day to day. If I had to choose between hand washing flats or switching to disposable diapers, I'd definitely take this route and hand wash flats though. I still love it! I'd also definitely take hand washing flats over buying disposables if we were in one of those situations that you keep hearing about on the news where families are having to choose between food and diapers or are trying to rinse out and re-use disposable diapers or leaving baby in them longer than they should to make that pack go further. It breaks my heart that people are in that situation when there are other affordable and sanitary options out there.

My current wash routine is to either leave the flat diapers dry or last night I soaked them in the sink overnight. Then I rinse them first thing in the morning with warm water. Next I fill the sink with water as hot as I can stand and detergent. I use my wash board to scrub each piece individually until I feel it is sufficiently clean and set aside until all pieces have been scrubbed. Then I fill the sink with a few inches of water to swish everything around in, then rinse each individual item under running water until I feel that the detergent has been completely rinsed out, wring out, and then take outside and hang to dry. 


Today I washed all of the flats. In MissE's normal diaper laundry in the washing machine, a small bit of bleach (1/4 cup or less) has been the only thing that will guarantee that her skin will stay clear. I haven't been using bleach during this challenge and yesterday evening she broke out in a rash. So today I re-washed all of the flats by hand with a tiny bit of bleach, plus did regular laundry, packed for our trip tomorrow, {attempted to} cleaned the house, and chased the baby. It was a long day.


MissE was trying to pull down the flats that I tie dyed last night while I was washing diapers this morning.

As I had said in a previous post, the flats dry within two hours and most covers within four. My wool must be dried overnight but I haven't washed any wool covers during this challenge yet and the fleece takes a few hours longer than the regular covers. I live in South Texas about 20 minutes from the beach so it is hot and humid here. MissE went out to help me hang her flats this morning!


                 

 

If you'd like to see how others are doing with their hand washing, click any link below!